The GMega is a great synth for a midi soloist. I use mine with the Mac version of Cubase and a Roland Guitar synth as a controller only. The built-in Mac interface is great. With the Kawai's additional 2 Midis in, I can have a &quot;guest&quot; keyboardist or two plug in with their midi controller(s), and we all can use the module. As far as the sounds: I have yet to find a synth on the market that equals the polished sound output quality of the GMega. If you listen carefully, Kawai uses a slight compression method for the GMega's sounds. Sure, the effects are limited, but for those who gig live, do you really need chorus, flange, delay, etc. in a sound module? You buy a dedicated external one for your whole rig. As for the GMega's &quot;thin&quot; sounds, TRUE layering makes a world of difference, especially if you assign multiple Temperaments to sounds. Hard to find in other synths. For a live performer, the GMega is hard to beat (even today) as a multi-instrument backup band. If you're looking for a studio synth, look elsewhere.